Everything seemed to work out beautifully in Chile. Right away I met Oscar, a good guy who took me across to the Chilean border post and on to Puerto Natales. We actually beat the bus which was held up in the immigration line. I was shuffled into the locals line and put through with Oscar.
Like most foreigners I made it to Puerto Natales to see Chile's most famous national park, Torres del Paine. I hung out in Puerto Natales a few days catching up on a few things and preparing for my trip into the park. When I made it back from the park I relaxed after six hard days of hiking and got ready to take a cargo ship north to Puerto Montt, a four day trip. The ship never came in so I ended up taking the passenger/cargo boat a few days later.
Puerto Natales was a small town without much going on but I had a good time there staying in a terrific, very comfortable hostal called Kawashkar. It was run by a great guy, Omar, who served a terrific omelet breakfast each morning and had plenty of advice for the park. It was a good place to be; as much of a home as you could ask for being at the bottom of South America.
Puerto Natales was once more of a small fishing village than anything else. Tourism is now the economic engine of he town but the waterfront still has plenty going on. While I was there I saw a small march in the streets as well as the aging waterfront.
Rusted pipe
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